John eancevatj



(No Model.)

J. RANOEVAU.

GAR COUPLING.

No. 359,813. Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

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UNlTED STATES PATENT rricE.

JOHN RANCEVAU, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO XVM. DISNEY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,813. dated lflarch 22, 1887.

Application filed April 10, 1885. Serial No. ISLE-ill. (No model.)

To (tZZ 1071,0112, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JonN RANCEVAU, of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful ln'iprovements in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of carcouplings known as automatic car-coup lings.

The various features of my invention and their objects and advantages,when used either separately or together, will be apparent from the following specification.

In the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, Figure 1 is an end view of my invention, showing the coupling in position and locked ready to receive the coupling attached to the other car to be coupled. Fig. 2 is an end view of my invention, show ing the coupling unlocked ready to release the coupling of the car which would be attached to it. Fig. 3 is a top view of my invention. Fig. 4 is a top view of my invention, the top plate being removed to show the interior construction; and Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the coupling-head and coupling-head bar.

A represents the casting preferably made of cast steel, but may be made of cast-iron or other suitable material. This casting A is placed between the two plates A A. The top plate, A, and bottom plate, A with the cast ing A between them, are securely fastened together in any suitable manner, preferably by rivets a. The top and bottom plates, A A", at their forward ends, widen, and are of peculiar shape, preferably of that shape shown in the drawings, and tapered toward a point, a, so that when the couplings approach each other they will more easily pass over the incline a and lock.

Through the front end ofthe head or forward portion, B, of the coupling is passed the rivet a around which is placed the sleeve or collar a. This collar is placed around the rivet to make a bearing-surface and strengthen the plates at this point.

The plates may be strengthened in any suitable manner; but this collar and rivet is the preferable mode.

The casting A contains the pocket I) and hole or opening i). WVithiu the head B of the draw-bar is placed and suitably secured, preferably by bolt or pin connection b Z)", the coupling-head D. The coupling-head I) is of peculiar shape, as shown in Fig. 5, and on each side its face at has the lips d (1'. These lips may extend upward and downward any suitable distance to conform to the varying height of the platforms used by different railroads on their passenger and freight cars, so as to catch and lock with the couplings of these different cars. This coupling-head is preferably made of steel. The coupling-head is cut away at (2 orotherwise suitably formed, to give room for the usual coupling-li11l ,which may be used, if desired, the hole a being present for the coupling-pin.

The sliding headbar E, which works forward and backward in the pocket I) as the car is being coupled or uncoupled, occupies the space in the head B directly in front of the casting 1%.,2111d at its forward end is formed into the head E. This head E has two ears, 0 6, between which fits and is loosely pivoted by pivot-pin c the neck e of the couplinghead D. This makes a joint similar to a knuckle-joint, and works easily and correctly every time the car is coupled or uncoupled. Around the sliding bar E is placed the coiled spring F,which throws the coupling-head back to its position when the cars are being an coupled. This spring can be omittethand yet my device will perform its function of coupling and uncoupling automatically.

The pocket Z) in the casting A is preferably widened at its forward end, it, so that the spring F may more easily play in the pocket, and the shoulders h are also formed by the widening of the pocket to form a bearing for the spring F.

To the top plate, A, is suitably secured the lug in which the dog H is pivoted, preferably, as shown, by riveting the piece 5 which can ries the ears 2' '5, to the top plate. To these ears 2' t is secured, by pin i, one end of the dog H. The dog H works loosely upon this pin, and is guided into the hole or-recess b, inwhich it works, by the guides 2) F. The projection S of the dog H is beveled, so that it may more easily work against the end of the bar E. The

upper end of the dog H is divided into two prongs, 7st, between which the pull-handle H is secured. This handle at its lower end contains the slot m through the cars t t, passes the pin This handle also contains the recess a, which recess fits over the pin 71/11] the sill of the car,and thus holds the handle in position when the coupling is being unlocked and cars being on coupled. The slot at in the pull-handle H is very useful. \Vhen it is desired to nncouple cars, the brakeman has hard work uncoupling them with the lever on the couplings now in use, as it works too hard. This diffieultyis overcome by the use of my slot at in the han dle H; The brakeman takes hold of the haudle H and lifts, or, rather, jerks, it upward from the position it occupies in Fig. 1, and the handle moving upward, the lower end of the handle strikes the pin i", and thus gives the dog H an impetus which readily brings the dog to the position shown in Fig. 2 and uneouples the cars. The chain H equalizes the draft for pulling the draw-bar laterally.

The coupling works as follows: \Vhen it is desired to couple ears, the coupling stands in the position shown in Fig. 1. The ear carrying a similar coupling is hacked, and its coupling strikes aud travels over the incline a", and when it reaches the face (1 falls over and automatically looks with the coupling-head D, and the car is coupled. WVhen it is desired to uncouple the cars, all that is necessary is to pull the handle Hnntil it assumes the position shown in Fig. The dog H releasing its hold on the coupling-head rod E, the coupling will automatically unlock as soon as the engine moves forward. 7

One of the great advantages of my coupling lies in the fact that it can be readily and satisfactorily applied to the draw'bars now in Through this slot, and

use, (as the Miller and others,) necessitating. but slight change in the latter, and thus the.

expense of putting in newscouplings is saved. The dotted lines in Figs. 3 and4 showtheposit-ion of the coupling-head when the coupling is unlocked.

Vhile the various features of my invention are preferably used together, one or more of them may be used without the remainder, and in car-couplers other than the one specifically herein set forth.

XVhat I claim as newand of my invention,

and desire to secure to secure by Letters Pat= cut, is-

1. In a car-coupler, the combination ofpieee A, having pocket b, coupling-head D, coupling-head bar E, and pin or projection S, as and i for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the coupling-head D5, bar E, pocket 2), dog H, having projection S, and slotted handle H, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the coupling-head D and couplinghea'd bar E, pivotally connected,:

JOHN RANGEVAU.

Witnesses:

JNO. XV. STREHLI, O. M. HILL. 

